Are Guide plates necessary?

bucket said:

I guess I should have elaborated. All the '87-up style heads used a self guided type rocker arm. If you choose to run a standard, non-guided rocker arm, you must use guide plates.

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Nah dude we're buddies sure, but I *** referring to THIS post in particular.

Self-aligning rocker arms used with GM Voretc heads look like this:



Here's a set: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12495490/make/chevrolet

bucket said:

I guess I should have elaborated. All the '87-up style heads used a self guided type rocker arm. If you choose to run a standard, non-guided rocker arm, you must use guide plates.

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Yes, if you don't, the rockers will eventually walk-off the valve stem and leave you stranded. I know this by experience. I got self-aligning rockers and no issues since.

MikeB said:

Self-aligning rocker arms used with GM Voretc heads look like this:

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Here's a set: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12495490/make/chevrolet

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Thank you for this...I just noticed the rocker arms (according to Comp Cams) are self aligning.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-rp1417-16

RedGeneral said:

Thank you for this...I just noticed the rocker arms (according to Comp Cams) are self aligning.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-rp1417-16

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Sounds like you're good to go with the rockers.

DoubleDingo said:

Yes, if you don't, the rockers will eventually walk-off the valve stem and leave you stranded. I know this by experience. I got self-aligning rockers and no issues since.

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All this feedback is what I was looking for, especially from people that have used both self aligning and guide platted.

DoubleDingo said:

Sounds like you're good to go with the rockers.

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Yup hopefully I measured correctly and ordered the correct pushrods. Time will tell. Keep everyone posted.

RedGeneral said:

All this feedback is what I was looking for, especially from people that have used both self aligning and guide platted.

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That's why we're here. To help those out so they don't do what we did. I did tons of research when I sourced my vortec parts for the swap, nothing at the time indicated I needed self-aligning rocker arms. Had I known that I would have used the ones off the '96 crate engine I had that was no longer any good due to water getting into #4 & #6 cylinders. Anyhow, I swapped on the vortecs, reused the '81 rockers, and ran it. We were loaded up for a camping trip and about an hour from home. I had just commented on how well the truck was running as it pulled the hills much easier than before. This was with the stock '81 cam, mind you. And as soon as I said that about it running good it lost power and we had to limp it off the highway at the next exit, which luckily wasn't very far away. It started up just fine, just had no more power whatsoever. Had it towed home, limped it into the driveway, pulled the valve covers and it was #7 exhaust, the rocker had walked off the stem. Upon closer inspection, I had several other rockers about to walk off other stems. Truly a blessing in disguise. I later installed the 300HP/327 cam for a nice flat torque curve, and wow that cam with stock vortecs works great. A factory old school grind that has good response from idle up around 5,500 as far as I know. I don't have a tach, but the truck never runs out of power.

#7 exhaust is the one I popped too.

AND!

Since then, I run self-aligning rockers on EVERYTHING if buying new ones.

Rusty Nail said:

#7 exhaust is the one I popped too.

AND!

Since then, I run self-aligning rockers on EVERYTHING if buying new ones.

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Several years ago, I met an engine builder that assembled his engines with guide plates and used self aligning rockers too.

Poor signal , double post.

The #416s in the '75?
Self-aligning Magnum roller tips for teh win BB!
Yeah!

An update is an update...
Poppin rockers suuuuuuuckssss.

I gather NOW that running shim head gaskets changes the pushrod length enough?
I have become very interested in the subject of pushrod length.

Those heads were milled too, on a different engine, but I reckon that combo is the why, it certainly wasn't too much lift (.472/.472) or weak new z-28 springs..